Sopris Stars 11272025

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Teens take on public discourse

ARTHUR CHERITH

Sopris Stars Correspondent

For 75 years, the Aspen Institute has made space to encourage thoughtful discussions, develop leadership skills and navigate complex problems. What began as a post World War II effort to rebuild civil discourse has evolved into a well organized model for dialogue. Today, the institute extends the same to younger generations through increasingly accessible youth programs that are deeply rooted in the original structure, including the Teen Socrates and Hurst Great Ideas seminars.

The Teen Socrates Seminars are intended for young people ages 15 to 17, and the Hurst Great Ideas Seminars are meant for eighth graders.

More than 20 years ago, the Aspen Institute recognized that while its adult seminars draw leaders from across the world, young people had far less access to such immersive thought opportunities. Katie Carlson, the institute’s Aspen Community Programs manager, explained the lasting impact of the expansion.

“I was really inspired by the community work we do, because Aspen Institute can have high barriers to entry

IN THIS ISSUE

Carbondale’s next big splash

PAGE 2

Balancing fear and the American Dream

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sometimes,” she said. “In this program we work on making sure everything is affordable. We do a summer lecture series that is free in the summer and we have great donors that help fund programs.”

The push to open its doors wider was due to similar reasons that motivated its founding. Carlson explained that, after World War II, Aspen Institute's founders believed that the conflict had exposed a serious failure in communication.

“Part of the problem is that we don't talk to each other [or] have forums for civil dialogue,” she said. “We don't have people from both sides coming together and having these meaningful discussions.”

The youth programs are a direct response to that growing concern; created to offer students structured experiences in dialogue, reflection and problem solving.

The Teen Socrates and Hurst Great Ideas seminars are modeled after the institute’s Executive Seminar that has brought global leaders together for decades. “We thought, ‘If they can do it, why can't teenagers?’” Carlson said.

Reflecting on cultural respect with local educators and spiritual leaders

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From Nov. 7 through 9, the intention was manifested at the Rifle Library. There, the Teen Socrates Seminar brought together students from all over the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys for three days

of intense discussion. Participants read texts on philosophical dilemmas, human rights questions, historical conflicts and interpersonal values. After each reading, students engaged in guided conversations about how

real-world problems might be solved — while also considering the constraints that do exist in these conflicts — and how personal values shape understandings of justice, collaboration and responsibility.

Carbondale’s next big splash the Sopris Stars

When we were little, summer meant one thing: the Carbondale pool. We both remember taking our first swim lessons there. We’d run down the deck until a lifeguard blew her whistle and yelled, “WALK!” We remember having our birthday parties at the pool, playing Marco Polo in the water and drinking root beer floats on the shady grass.

For us, the pool has never just been about swimming — it's about connection and community. For as long as we can remember, we have played on the diving board, front flipping and belly flopping off with our classmates. We have met new friends in the changing rooms and in line for the slide. We would lie on the hot cement after the lifeguards forced us out of the pool for the mandatory sunscreen reapplication period.

Now, as high school students serving on the Carbondale Parks and Recreation Commission, we’re seeing that same pool, but from a whole new perspective. We’re watching what it takes to design, plan and fund a full renovation. We get to include our opinions in the process and ensure that youth voices in Carbondale are being heard.

We’ve learned that projects like this don’t just appear out of nowhere. They take years of planning, fundraising and community dedication. To start this project, voters approved a bond. Additional support has come from the Town of Carbondale, the state and the county. So far, local families and organizations have contributed an additional $1 million,

By Nick Nardecchia & Mali Sparhawk

highlighting just how much this town cares about its future.

In Carbondale, helping each other is a way of life. Kids know pretty much everyone at their school by first name, every car gets a wave and neighbors water each others’ plants or walk one anothers’ dogs when the other is out of town. A strong community has become the expectation in Carbondale — from First Friday to Mountain Fair to Our Town, One Table, we show up for each other. A new pool will only make this community stronger.

On the Fourth of July, the new pool will host cardboard boat races and hand out watermelon again; kids will have a place to play together while parents get time to relax. The pool will become the backbone of Carbondale, and we, as current high school seniors, cannot wait to have a fun place to catch up with friends.

We know this project has been a long process, but it's important to understand that this isn’t just a pool. It’s an investment in Carbondale’s future.

It’s being built for everyone: families who’ll spend long summer days there, high schoolers who’ll lifeguard or teach swim lessons, adults swimming early laps before work and grandparents joining water aerobics classes.

The new facility will feature a six-lane lap pool, a 2,500-square-foot recreation pool, a large hot tub, a diving board and even a climbing wall. It will be the first all-electric aquatics facility in Colorado, making it an innovative and environmentally responsible project.

There’s still about $500,000 left to raise, and this is where everyone in Carbondale can help. Whether it’s donating, sharing the campaign or simply talking about it, every bit of support matters.

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Letters to the Editor

Congratulations, Sopris Stars! So enjoyed every article and am delighted that a high school paper is in print. Congratulations to all of you for an excellent job.

Gayle Wells Sopris Sun Board member

Have something to shout about? Email letters to the editor for publication in The Sopris Stars to youthnews@soprissun.com

Youth Editor Lou Gall lou@soprissun.com

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Aurora Egan aurora@soprissun.com

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James Steindler james@soprissun.com

Youth Journalism Instructor

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale

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Terri Ritchie

The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible. The Sopris Stars is made possible thanks to The Sopris Sun. Support The Sopris Stars Youth News Bureau by making a donation at www.soprissun.com/donate

REVIEW BY AURORA EGAN Sopris Stars Correspondent

“The 39 Steps,” produced by Upstage Productions and directed by Sam Stableford and Iggy Richardson, was a fully student-run play that graced the stage at Roaring Fork High School from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8.

“The 39 Steps” follows a man named Richard Hannay after he is framed for the murder of Annabelle Schmidt, who claimed to be a spy being chased by assassins. Hannay flees from the police, and the same assassins, who pursue him throughout the rest of the story. Throughout his escape, he comes across a multitude of characters who help him along the way as he uncovers the secret of “The 39 Steps.”

The cast was made up of a group of 10 very talented individuals, all bringing something pivotal to the show. None of the actors were on mic, so they had to work twice as hard to make sure their voices carried throughout the venue. The actors also spoke in a vast array of accents displayed throughout the show, including: British, Irish, Scottish and

German. Almost every cast member played multiple roles, capturing each character's personality well.

But where this show really shines is through its comedy. The execution of every joke was thoughtfully planned out, allowing each gag and quip to land perfectly. One that was particularly entertaining was when Hannay was evading the police and found himself on a train. Because of the narrow

alley between the seats, it became a struggle for characters to squeeze by each other, creating a comical sequence where everyone was tripping over one another during an otherwise suspenseful scene. This production excelled in acting diversity, energy and sharpness. The onstage actors were not the only highlight, as this show was also supported by a very strong backstage and tech crew. Scene changes

were quick and efficient, as were the lighting cues. For instance, whenever a character would mimic turning on a light in the show, the stage lights would match up almost instantaneously. The costumes were another highlight, fitting for the time period and also looked wonderful on stage. Altogether, the cast and crew, consisting solely of high school-aged youth, delivered a put-together, professional, en-

gaging and, above all, hilarious show that had the audience in rapturous laughter.

When asked what drew Roaring Fork senior Sam Stableford and junior Iggy Richardson, the director and assistant director, respectively, to “The 39 Steps,” Stableford explained that he had been a part of the same play before and dreamed of directing it ever since.

Upstage Productions is a student-founded production company, and “The 39 Steps” is its second production, following “Sleepy Hollow” in the fall of 2024. Stableford emphasized that Upstage Productions is student-run, but added that they do receive occasional help from Thunder River Theatre Company and Sol Theatre Company.

Stableford and Richardson specifically expressed gratitude for Jennifer Austin Hughes, the founder and director of Sol Theatre. Stableford elaborated that Hughes has been a large mentor in his life, a huge supporter of the “The 39 Steps” production and of immense help to both

Balancing fear and the American Dream

ANNA SOPHIA BROWN Sopris Stars Correspondent

EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the sensitivity of this article, student sources were kept anonymous.

Latino and white communities are intertwined in the Roaring Fork Valley, yet young immigrants, or children thereof, have felt threatened under President Donald Trump’s administration in the wake of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity

Though Mexican restaurants are local favorites and the Día De Los Muertos procession is a popular tradition in Carbondale, members of the immigrant community are facing a daunting reality. The Roaring Fork School District was 56.6% Latino during the 2024-2025 school year, according to the Colorado Department of Education’s demographic data. To be exact, 3,311 of the 5,842

Interviews with local Latino students revealed the underlying fear surroundcultural challenges that immigrants and

“I consider myself American,” an 18 year old from Roaring Fork High School said. “But it can be hard to be prideful

balance between her Mexican heritage and American citizenship — is beautiful, but can also be challenging. She is the first person in her family to be born in the United States and have experienced growing up here. She’s grateful to have access to so many new opportunities, members’ comparable disadvantages.

She not only has to guide her younger siblings, but her parents as well. She said that she has had to navigate school events, federal student aid and college applications alone.

“As the oldest, I’ve been forced to grow up faster than everyone else,” she said.

Growing up in the Valley, she often felt left out. She, along with other interviewees, described a social divide between Anglo and Latino students that can exist, and that friend groups are often composed of either or.

On a national scale, she feels like she has fallen victim to generalizations. “They [immigrants] are being categorized as criminals, but we’re not. It’s such a small group of people who are,” she stated.

She felt like Carbondale had always been safe, but under the Trump administration, she and her family have been afraid to travel, or even at times leave the house. Her parents, who have lived and worked in the Valley for over 20 years, began the process of switching bank accounts into her name due to the looming threat of deportation. She sometimes fears “the worst case scenarios.”

“What if they are not at my graduation?” she wondered.

Another student at Roaring Fork, 17, described how she often doesn’t feel like she is considered American, despite being born here. She feels like some only consider Americans as “white,” and, because that does not apply to her, she feels foreign.

She described the fear that surrounded Trump's first election and the possibility of her parents being deported. In his second term, those fears have felt even more real as she’s watched the impact ICE has had on immigrant communities.

She’s also experienced an increase in discrimination directed towards her and other Latinos. She wondered if it was still there when she was little, but naivety blinded her. In January 2025, she visited North Carolina where a man yelled at her and her family, “Go back to your country.”

“We can’t even travel out of the fear of ICE,” she said.

Although she is a citizen, she said she felt relief when the school district enacted a policy promising that ICE would be unable to enter the schools without a warrant.

Voces Unidas de las Montañas, an organization based in Glenwood Springs that advocates for Latinos’ rights and well-being regionally, is helping pave a path through the uncertainty.

“Our larger mission is to make the Western Slope, and therefore Colorado, more equitable for all,” said Alex Sánchez, the president and CEO of Voces Unidas.

The organization has a 24/7 emergency hotline that acts as a tool to report and/or request information regarding missing family members, or to report ICE or supposed ICE activity. Voces Unidas investigates and verifies such reports.

“It's critical for the times we live in. It’s important that we also confirm when it isn’t ICE, when it isn’t immigration control,” Sánchez said.

“Because the people impacted by ICE are traumatized by any rumor, any

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Reflecting on cultural respect with local educators and spiritual leaders

ANALYSIS BY VIVIENNE SHAPIRO

Sopris Stars Correspondent

Every moment in our lives can influence who we are.

Our culture.

Our beliefs.

Our values.

Every single day we have the opportunity to make choices that will determine not only who we are in the privacy of our heads, but also who we are to the world around us. But, for some of us, a path is paved before we even touchdown on this earth.

To many, there will always be that kid on the school playground who looks at them funny; not because of what they have to say, but because of their lineage. Their race. Their language. Their religion. Discrimination is inevitably present within society, and when it’s not direct persecution, it still creates division. The answer may not be to become one, but to remain many who value all.

“I don't like the image of the melting pot … the idea of us all just melting into one glob. I like the image of a salad. We’re all mixed together and some of us are tomatoes, and some of us are cucumbers. The best salads have the most stuff in them,” Shira Stutman, lead Rabbi at Aspen Jewish Congregation, told The Sopris Stars.

People partially mold their cultural values while engaging in their commu-

nities, surrounded by others — and for kids, that means the classroom. When it comes to cultural education and inclusivity in schools, what’s the best way to inform kids, while also fostering respect?

“Cultural education … It's a critical component to how we make sense of the world around us,” Carbondale Middle School Principal Micheal Logan said.

But it’s not always so simple. Schools face the challenge of ensuring that respect is maintained, but can still battle pushback when making decisions regarding how much culture and religion is appropriate within schools.

Mandi Franz, the principal of Ross Montessori school explained the school’s navigation of religion.

“How do we want to present ourselves to our community? And what would be inclusive to everybody?” she asked. “We, as a Montessori school, try to honor the cultures and beliefs of all our students.”

However, the school participates in no "commercialized holidays,” according to Franz. Instead, they have an “events and happenings” calendar. “That's like a list of the things that we do celebrate … without making it specific to different holidays,” she added.

Examples of these events include Harvest Festival instead of Halloween, among others. While Ross doesn’t celebrate any mainstream holidays, Carbon-

dale Middle School celebrates a few.

“On Halloween day, when kids [were] streaming in and wearing costumes, [it’s] definitely a joyful experience,” Logan said. “We also try to acknowledge that not everybody celebrates Halloween, and in our announcements that I send home we made it clear what expectations are.”

Taking in lessons from both local educators and spiritual leaders has an impact on the perspectives of local youth.

“I mean, it’s kind of fun to do it in a different way, because our school is kind of unique,” said Lucy Sontag, an upperelementary student at Ross, emphasizing that kids are paying attention to how culture and religion are approached.

While the approaches of all of these educators vary, their goals are coherent. Mandi Read, a former Carbondale Community School teacher and the youth pastor at The Orchard Church in Carbondale, hopes students develop “a true love for other people, and respect for other people.” When asked why she feels it is important to learn about different cultures and religions, she said, “As a Christian, I would want to know about other religions, so I know how to love you … know where you’re coming from,” she said.

Just like there is more than one way to teach about culture and religion, there are also different approaches to edu-

cating youth about discrimination that could help decrease it in the community. It can feel impossible to educate about culture without educating about persecution simultaneously. The prospect of teaching about the horrors of the past, such as the Holocaust or slavery, can be overwhelming for educators to teach, much less for students to understand. And perhaps it doesn’t have to be related to religion. “We teach about anti-Semitism the same way we would teach about racism or homophobia or sexism,” Stutman said. “To teach about hatred in a vacuum … without teaching about the joy and the gifts, feels to me like it’s checking a box but missing the point.”

School clubs create a sense of belonging, including Club Aire Libre

LOU GALL Sopris Stars Editor

Clubs are a pivotal part of most students' schooling experience, offering a sense of belonging to countless people. These micro communities are pillars of our schools, bringing like-minded individuals together to share ideas. Unfortunately, the value clubs bring can often be overlooked.

Roaring Fork Valley schools promote building community and respect, and clubs do exactly this — building strong relationships among staff and students alike. Glenwood Springs High School (GSHS), along with the other Roaring Fork Schools, offers a surplus of club opportunities that are deserving of recognition.

For instance, Club Aire Libre is focused on reaching the emerging bilingual community at GSHS. This group has two monthly trips between August and May each year. Members foster fluency and long-lasting friendships through exploring Colorado’s beautiful outdoors.

“Each climb is a lesson in resilience,” said Justin Meagher, one of the club’s facilitators. “Each trail is a sentence in a story about belonging.”

Students participate in activities from hikes up mountains to skiing down them, while developing stewardship and outdoor skills through new and unique experiences. However, they can't do this alone. Teachers volunteer their weekends and rely on community donations for supplies. The longevity of the program is also made possible due to partnerships with Ragged Mountain Sports and Aspen One, so this club is able to support its mission.

Do you know of a club that should be highlighted in The Sopris Stars? If so, email youthnews@soprissun.com with details.

Your voice matters.

Fashion Review POOL from page 2

Inside Simona’s Boutique

GISELLE “GIGI” RASCON

Fashion Correspondent

Glenwood’s new retail space is stylish and bold

What if we put our fears aside?

That’s exactly what Brenda V. Perea did when she opened Simona's Boutique at 2114 Grand Avenue in Glenwood Springs, turning a two-year dream of owning her

own fashion house into a reality. Along with her husband's support, she transformed four walls into a space filled with glamour and casual wear.

Upon entering, visitors immediately are drawn to the detail she poured into every square inch. It has a perfect harmony of chic décor and an inviting ambience, ideal for those who want to take the time to treat themselves. The glistening accessories, denim with tasteful hems, and racks of thoughtfully curated outfits guide visitors deeper into the space. Within, there are subtle, chic Western influences, like textures, beading and silhouettes — accents that nod to the Valley's culture without overwhelming the modern aesthetic.

For Perea, the boutique is more than a store. It’s an experience. Her passion has followed her throughout her life. She wanted more wardrobe options in the Valley. Her offerings speak exactly to that: glamorous yet easy pieces to incorporate into everyday wear, trendy yet timeless, casual infused with character.

“[It’s] a little bit of everything for everyone,” she said.

To build a business in this valley often means first stepping forward with fearless intention. I'm sure many of you are aware. In 2015, Glenwood Springs was ranked seventh among the richest small towns in America, according to a Post Independent back then, and a Bloomberg Business analysis.

Now on her second business venture, Perea continues to look for new doors to step through. Her mission through fashion is to make anyone who enters her doors feel comfortable with what they wear and who they are. Her boutique invites customers to blend her pieces into their own style and wardrobes, to explore something new and leave feeling inspired. Simona's Boutique is curated for anyone who wants to look good and feel good.

Her message to women chasing their dreams is a reminder she hopes they carry with them:

“It's difficult, but never impossible.”

SPRUCE UP THE SUN ART CONTEST!

It’s that time of year, when e Sopris Sun invites young people to submit artistic entries for its annual Spruce Up e Sun contest. e winning illustration(s) will be featured on the cover of the Dec. 25 holiday issue. Contestants, or their parents, can submit scanned submissions to news@soprissun.com or place a hard copy in the submission box outside of e Launchpad in Carbondale (76 South Fourth Street). Preschoolers through high school seniors are welcome to submit.

¡EMBELLECE EL SOL!

Ha llegado la época del año en que Sol del Valle invita a los jóvenes a presentar obras de arte para su concurso anual Embellece el Sol. La(s) ilustración(es) ganadora(s) aparecerá(n) en la portada de la edición navideña del 25 diciembre. El tema de este año es Armonía Navideña, las obras deben re ejar el tema, y, por favor, abstenerse de utilizar brillantina.

Theme:

Temática:

As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” This is no exception. Everyone’s help is needed for this big project.

When the pool opens in spring 2026, we’ll be graduating from high school and moving away from Carbondale. But we look forward to coming home to see kids jumping into the same water we once did and friends standing at lifeguarding posts, blowing their whistles, just in a better, more sustainable and more accessible space. That’s the kind of progress that makes us proud to call Carbondale home.

Because at the end of the day, the pool has never just been about swimming. It’s about connection, growth and the moments that make a town feel like a family. We can’t wait to see the big splash of its next chapter.

Learn more and contribute at www.carbondalerec.com/ aquatics

RULES:

• Students from kindergarten to high school are invited to enter

• Paper size: 8 1/2” wide x 11 high”

• A variety of media is permitted, but not glitter or three-dimensional elements

• Bright, bold colors are recommended

• Please write the child’s name, age, grade, school and a parent’s contact information (on the back of the page)

REGLAS:

Deadline: DECEMBER 12

Fecha Límite: 12 DE DICIEMBRE

• Estudiantes de kindergarten a high school están invitados a entrar

• Tamaño de papel: 8 1/2 x 11”

• Se puede utilizar una variedad de materiales, pero no destellos ni elementos tres-dimensionales

• Se recomienda colores brillantes

• Por favor, incluir el nombre del artista, su edad, curso, escuela y información de contacto para su pariente (en la parte atrás de la página)

Last Year’s Winner

P.O. Box 399, Carbondale CO 81623

insinuation that ICE is in their communities. We don’t want schools half empty, and we don’t want people to stop being able to go to work or use public transportation. We don’t want people to stop enjoying their lives out of fear.”

“It's also critical, obviously, to confirm and report when there is, in fact, ICE activity, and when there is an operation in our community," he continued.

“Because people are literally being picked up off the streets and families are being separated.”

A third high school senior said that her parents, and most immigrants, come to the United States to try and create a better life for their family and themselves. She said that the same people who fly Trump flags may be kind to her face, but ultimately supported a government that wished her family had not come to the United States.

She described how scared she was before her mother had officially attained citizenship.

“I was terrified. ‘What if my mom doesn’t come home? What if my dad isn’t there?’” she said. “No child should have to experience that.”

“ICE is tearing families apart. What we need is to bring people together,” she added.

THEATER from page 3 him and Richardson.

Stableford spoke to the importance of the arts, especially in a place like Carbondale where there are more performing arts opportunities than other rural places, though they are still limited.

“We have so much untapped talent, and I’m surprised we’re not using it,” Stableford said.

To young people interested in pursuing the theater, Stableford emphasizes the importance of building a stable support system.

SEMINARS

Because of his personal involvement in the arts over the years, Stableford had an abundance of people he could call on to aid his endeavors. Acting experience is not required, and Stableford encouraged all high school students who are interested to join Upstage Productions.

Richardson explained how he has gone through many different roles of many different sizes and implored young people interested in theater not to be discour-

One of the defining aspects of Teen Socrates is the emphasis on active listening. Rather than raising hands, students are encouraged to observe the room, make space for others and speak thoughtfully. This structure exists because “everyone at the table could learn from each other, and deep down we aren't all that different,” Carlson said. The desired result was achieved: Students were more focused on one another, less focused on competing for airtime and invested in understanding perspectives different from their own.

Carlson hopes the youth programs will counteract the sense of disconnection many teens are feeling.

aged when they don't get the largest role upfront.

“It’s definitely just trusting the process,” Richardson said. “Just keep improving.”

He commended the directors he has had in the past for their encouragement as he pursued the arts.

Richardson articulated how excited he is to carry on the legacy Stableford will leave behind after graduation.

Richardson only hopes that after he graduates next school year that Upstage Productions will live on.

“I hope they can feel inspired that other smart, thoughtful teens are out there,” she said. “So much of our world is digital and online and it can feel like we are losing humanity. It's a huge point for human connection. We can come together as people and talk as the world gets more polarized.”

She also emphasized that the youth seminars are made possible by community support. They are “generously funded by the Wall Family Foundation and the Hurst Family Foundation,” allowing the seminars to be affordable for local teens, she said.

In the near future, the Aspen Institute will continue to expand youth involvement with more opportunities

the QR code to support Upstage Productions. Donations are managed by Sol Theatre Company.

to participate.

“We have some upcoming seminars in the spring,” Carlson said. “One in Aspen over President's Day weekend, another in Aspen in March and a virtual seminar in May."

The focus on youth reflects the institute's expansive mission to ensure that meaningful dialogue continues for generations and isn't reserved for a few on occasion but rather practiced by all. Through these seminars, the Aspen Institute believes that thoughtful discussion and thoughtful listening can shape a better future.

For a list of upcoming youth seminars, visit www.tinyurl.com/TeenSeminars

SUPPORT THE SOPRIS STARS YOUTH NEWS BUREAU

Ensure the journalism of tomorrow by supporting our youth program today.

The Sopris Sun’s youth journalism program is in its fifth year, but recently published the first Sopris Stars insert on Oct. 30, 2025, a monthly publication where all

youth-generated content will live.

Our Sopris Stars interns learn from a plethora of talented professionals, from top-notch journalists to cartoonists and photographers. Interns practice handson journalism, from requesting an interview to finalizing an article, with

guidance from regular instructors. The intent of The Sopris Stars insert is to provide young people with a reliable and accountable source of news meant for both their eyes and the wider community. High school students interested in participating, can visit www.soprissun.com/future